Box liner



July 11, 19.61 J. c. FISCHER ET AL BOX LINER Filed March 22, 1954 INVENTORS JOHN C. F/SCf-IEQ d/QMES B. pA/DQEMS Unite York Filed Mar. 22, 1954, Ser. No. 417,662 3 Claims. (Cl. 217-"3) The present invention relates to a box liner, and more specifically to a single piece liner which is peculiarly adapted for use with boxes or trays of the type commonly used for packing fresh fruits or vegetables for shipment.

It is well known that the packing and shipping of fresh fruits and vegetable requires a considerable amount of manual labor and the final price paid by the consumer for these foods reflects to a great extent the high labor cost in preparing these foods for final shipment. Therefore, any labor saving device for more speedily and expeditiously packaging foods of this type will be reflected in the consumer price of the foods. This saving in labor is best effected by providing means for enabling the person doing the actual packing to more easily and more expertly pack more food per any given period of time. Almost all foods, an example being grapes, are shipped in rectangular wooden trays or boxes, the inside of which is lined with suitable sheet material such as paper, this paper liner preventing the fruit from being bruised to a much greater extent than if the fruit was packed directly against the wood of the box as well as permitting the fruit to be packed more tightly. Prior box liners which the applicant is aware of are mostly of two types, one type being formed of a plurality of pieces representing the bottom, the two sides and the two ends which the operator must insert piecemeal into the box prior to filling the box with fruit. It will be appreciated that this requires a considerable amount of manual labor and manipulation by the operator. Another type of box liner presently in use is a single piece paper board construction which folds into a box-like structure and which is inserted into the wooden box. However, this particular type of liner has a plurality of end flaps which must be folded and interlocked or clamped with respect to the ends of the liner before the same can be inserted into the box. This particular type of liner also requires a great amount of manual labor and manipulation by the operator.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a box liner which is of single piece paper construction, which can be formed of any suitable sheet material, which can be inserted into the shipping box with a minimum amount of manual labor and manipulation by the operator," which is relatively inexpensive, and which can be shipped flat in large numbers to the packer or user.

A further object of the present invent-ion is to provide a corrugated box liner which is ventilated for allowing air to circulate through the packed fruit.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a box liner, which, besides having great utility, is pleasing in appearance.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a single piece box liner blank cut and perforated and formed of suitable sheet material.

FIG. 2 is a left front perspective view of the blank shown in FIG. 1, for-med substantially in its box-like shape.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the box liner in combination with a shipping tray.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a box liner blank similar to the blank shown in FIG. 1 showing a modification thereof.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a box liner blank similar to the blank shown in FIG. 1 showing a further modification thereof.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 7-7 on FIGURE 6.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a box liner rep resentative of the present invention is illustrated generally by the number 10. This box liner is formed from a blank of single face corrugated paper having a rectangularly shaped bottom portion 11, a pair of side panels 12 and 13 and a pair of end panels 14 and 15. A crectangularly shaped longitudinally extending opening 16 is cut at the juncture of each of the side panels 12 and 13 with bottom portion 11, and each side panel is articulated to the bottom portion '11 along perforation lines indicated by dotted lines 17. The juncture of the end panels 14" and 15 with the bottom portion 11 is also perforated as indicated by dotted lines 18 whereby the end panels are articulated to the bottom portion for permitting the end panels to be bent upwardly relative to the bottom portion 11 easily and accurately.

FIG. 2 shows the liner with the side panels 12 or 13 and the end panels 14 or bent up along their respective perforation lines relative to the bottom 11 so as to form a box-like container. The end panels 14 and 15 are each perforated adjacent their respective ends as indicated by dotted lines 19, and the ends of the side panels 12 and 13 are areuate in shape which permits a greater amount of fruit, for instance grapes, to be packed tightly therein without becoming loosened during travel.

The number 19a represents generally a fruit shipping box or tray of well known construction and of the type which is used by the millions in the fruit industry. This particular type of box employs wood panels 20 and 21 which are interconnected by wood side panels 22 and 23. Floor panels 24 and are nailed to the bottom of the respective end panels and the side panels 22 and 23- are so' spaced with respect to the floor panels 24 and 25 and the floor panels 24 and 25 are so spaced with respect to one another that openings or passages 26', 27, and 28 are formed for permitting air to pass through the box. The bottom portion 11 of the box liner is soformed as to fit snugly on the bottom of the box 19a and the side panels 12' and 13 are formed of a height sufli'cient to per mit the tops thereof to extend upwardly beyond the edge of the respective side panels 22 and 23. The openings 16" are positioned in alignment with respect to openings 26 and 28 of the box 19a when the liner is received in the box so that'air is permitted to enter and circulate through" the liner from the outside of box 19a. The end panels are bent inwardly along the perforation lines 19 so that a portion 29' of each end panel overlays the upper edge of each of the side panels.

In operation't-he liners are shipped as flat sheets as in dicated in FIG. 1, and the operator places the liner on the' box so that the bottom portion 11 substantailly coincides with the open end of box 19a. The liner is then inserted in the box with the operator pushing the bottorn portion 11 downward against thefioor panels 24 and 25 of box 19kt, sidepanels 12 and 13, and end panels 14'and .15 being forced into their upright positions, and the fruit tightly packed therein. When the box has been completely packed with-fruit, the portions 29 of the end panels are bent downwardly along the perforation lines 19 so that these portions of the end panels overlie the opposite ends of the box liner when in its box-like form. Openings 30 are formed in the side flaps adjacent the outer edge thereof and are positioned above the box panels 22 and 23 when the liner is positioned in the box. For substantially all fruit, 21 good example being grapes, provision must be made for ventilating the fruit while the fruit is in transport. If ventilation is not provided the fruit will mold, ferment or otherwise become damaged. This liner, therefore, permits air to enter the liner through openings 16 and openings 30 and the same passes through the fruit by way of the voids formed therein.

It will be appreciated that the box liner can be formed of any suitable paper material such as, for instance, standard corrugated material of any suitable weight, either single or double face, or any suitable paper board material. It will also be appreciated that the liner can have cut therein any suitable number of ventilating openings and that these openings can be arranged in any practical or effective design.

For instance, FIG. 5 shows a modification of the liner shown in FIG. 1. In this modified liner, a plurality of openings 31 are cut in the bottom portion and the side and end panels for effecting better ventilation of the packed fruit. It will also be noted that the liner is formed of single face corrugated paper. The liner is completely reversible so that the corrugated face of the liner can be placed either on the inside or outside with respect to the inside of the shipping box. When the corrugated face is on the outside, the corrugations act as paths or channels for permitting the passage of air into the box liner through those openings which are covered by the side and floor panels of the box 19a. It will also be noted that the end panels 14 and of this modified box liner are hingedly connected to the bottom portion 11 along score lines 32 and that each of the end panels is scored at 33 for permitting the portion 29 thereof to be bent inwardly in a manner as previously described.

FIG. 6 shows a further modification of the box liner shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5. In this modification, the liner does not have the ventilating openings 16 cut therein; however, a plurality of openings 34 are cut in the bottom portion and the side and end panels for eifecting proper ventilation of the packed fruit. This liner is also shown as being formed of single face corrugated material and the liner is reversible in the same manner as the liner of FIG. 5. While the end panels 14 and 15 are hingedly connected to bottom portion 11 along score lines 32 and while each end panel is scored at 33 similar to the liner of FIG. 5, the side panels 12 and 13 are hingedly connected to the bottom portion also along score lines 35.

As previously suggested, the box liner of the present invention can be formed of any suitable sheet material such as, for example, paper board and standard corrugated paper, either single face or double face, and the liners can be cut with any combination of slots, holes or any other form opening for permitting proper ventilation of the packed fruit. It will also be appreciated that the side panels 12 and 13 and end panels 14 and 15 can be hingedly connected to the bottom portion 11 in any suitable manner.

Although the invention has been explained by description in detail to the specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications can be made in the particular construction shown without departing from the invention, and that the invention is to be limited only within the extent set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An article of manufacture comprising a one-piece resilient liner for insertion against the bottom and side walls of low-height wooden shipping boxes of the type used in transporting grapes and the like fruit and wherein the liner serves as a cushion between the fruit and the box while providing for the free access thereto of circulating air as well as means closing the gap along the upper lateral corners of the box thereby preventing loss of the grapes by pil ferage and the like, said liner comprising a blank of laminated paper comprising a fiat face sheet adhesively joined to the crests of corrugated paper and having a rectangular central area of the same shape and size as the interior bottom of the shipping box and with said corrugations extending parallel to the opposite narrow ends of said central area, the peripheral edges of said central area having end and side flaps of said laminated paper integral with the sides and ends of said central area, said flaps each having a length corresponding to the length of the adjacent side of said central area, said end flaps being connected to the ends of said central area by an elongated hinge formed contiguous to the junction of a corrugation crest with said :face sheet, said end flaps having a width substantially greater than the inside depth of the shipping box to provide an inwardly folding strip adapted to lie flush against the top of the fruit at the opposite ends of the liner when in use, said strip being adapted to fold inwardly about a hinge formed lengthwise of a corrugation adjacent the junction of its crest with the face sheet, said hinges in each end flap being parallel to one another and being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the inside height of the box end wall, said side flaps having an elongated narrow slot formed therein along a hinge line with the adjacent longer sides of said central area, said slots providing for the ventilation of the liner contents along its opposite lower lateral corners when in use as well as providing for the passage of air to and from corrugations extending transversely of said central area, and the outer longitudinal edges of said side flaps being arched away from one another and being adapted to project above the longer sides of the shipping box and cooperating with the upwardly arched box cover to close the gap and prevent loss of fruit.

2. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of a multiplicity of small perfor-ations throughout the central area of said liner of a size admitting the passage of air therethrough, and the outer edges of said side flaps having a series of ventilating openings therealong positioned to lie above the top edge of the shipping box when the liner is in place and being adapted to minimize the escape of fruit such as grapes therethrough.

3. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of a multiplicity of small perforations distributed about the central area of said liner, said perforations being large enough to pass ventilating air throughout the bottom area of said liner but not so large as to weaken materially the cushioning action and strength generally of said liner whereby the weight of the liner contents does not tend to crush and fiatten the central area of said corrugated liner.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,605,426 Caldwell Nov. 2, 1926 1,705,267 Pohlman Mar. 12, 1929 1,894,531 Bruntsch Jan. 17, 1933 1,926,600 Roland Sept. 12, 1933 1,933,869 Mosesian Nov. 7, 1933 2,009,564 Ridge July 30, 1935 2,371,271 Smith Mar. 13, 1945 2,533,773 De La Foret Dec. 12, 1950 2,621,847 Stefanich Dec. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 571,355 Great Britain Aug. 21, 1945 

